Boston Marathon explosions – more details

Boston Marathon explosions – more details

Explosion at Boston Marathon finish line

(CNN) — In the aftermath of two bomb blasts near the finish line of Monday’s Boston Marathon, Boston police confirm two dead and scores injured, according to Cheryl Fiandaca, head of media relations for the Boston police. Local hospitals report at least 132 patients are being treated for wounds, including at least six who are in critical condition and six others in serious condition. At least eight of the injured are children.

Other details:

— The two people killed include a male and a female, WHDH-TV in Boston reports.

— President Barack Obama said Monday he ordered the “full resources” of the federal government” to respond to the Boston bombing on Monday, and that he also called for increased security around the United States as necessary.

— Federal law enforcement has been placed on “level one mobilization,” according to U.S. government sources. According to one official “that’s equivalent to all hands on deck.” Another senior federal official tells CNN that teams are on standby to search flights leaving the United States. No team has yet been activated.

— The U.S. Navy has provided a three-person Explosive Ordnance Disposal team based out of Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, to assist Massachusetts authorities as needed, a Navy official said.

— Investigators are classifying Monday’s bombings in Boston as a terror event, but it is not clear if domestic or foreign, a federal law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation said. The official said there was no known threat in advance of the marathon. No one is in custody, the source said. The two explosive devices were small packages and are not believed at this time to have included C4 or other plastic explosives, the source said.

— A White House official says: “Any event with multiple explosive devices as this appears to be is clearly an act of terror and will be approached as an act of terror. However we don’t yet know who carried out this attack and a thorough investigation will have to determine whether it was planned and carried out by a terrorist group foreign or domestic.”

— One unexploded device was found at a hotel on Boylston Street near the bomb site and another unexploded device was found at an undisclosed location, Rep. Bill Keating, D-Massachusetts, said. Keating, a member of the House Homeland Security committee called it a “sophisticated, coordinated, planned attack.”

— Boston’s fire chief told other law enforcement authorities that they have found what they believe is an unexploded explosive device, a government official tell CNN’s Joe Johns.

— A federal law enforcement source tells CNN’s Chris Cuomo that experts are working to dismantle another explosive device. The device is small and does not appear to contain shrapnel, but an explosion may generate shrapnel from places where the explosion was put, the source said.

— Bomb-sniffing dogs were working the area of bombing and nearby streets, checking every single item on curb or near the street, “every construction cone, every Port-A-Jon” to make sure there were no explosive devises left, WHDH-TV in Boston reported.

— A cell phone service overload around the center of Boston is hampering the bombing investigation, two federal law enforcement sources tell CNN.

— AT&T said Monday evening that it had set up a mobile calling center and phone charging station in the Sheraton Hotel. “In addition, our Wi-Fi network, turned up for the Boston Marathon, is now available to customers of all wireless carriers and will remain on for an extended period of time.”

— The Boston Marathon Facebook page says: “There were two bombs that exploded near the finish line in today’s Boston Marathon. We are working with law enforcement to understand what exactly has happened.”

— Injured people are being treated in medical tents that had been erected near the marathon finish line to treat exhausted runners. Other injured are being taken to the several hospitals that are within two miles.

— A Massachusetts General Hospital spokeswoman tells CNN there are 22 injured at the hospital as of 5 p.m. Six of those injured are “critically injured.”

— Nine patients from the explosion were at Tufts Medical Center as of 4:10 p.m., according to spokesman Jeremy Leachan. No word on their conditions.

— Boston Medical Center says it has 20 patients from the explosions, including two children.

— Boston Children’s Hospital received eight patients injured at the explosion at the Boston Marathon and their conditions ranged from good to serious.

The patients include:

A 9-year-old girl with leg trauma who is in the operating room.

A 42-year-old parent of a patient is being treated.

A 7-year-old boy is being treated for a minor leg injury.

A 12-year-old with a femur fracture has been admitted.

A 2 year-old-boy with a head injury has been admitted to the Medical/Surgical ICU.

Three other patients in good condition were treated in the emergency department.

— Carney Hospital in Dorchester, Massachusetts, is treating four or five patients, but none of the injuries are serious, spokesman Bill Holland said.

— St. Elizabeth Medical Center is treating 10 patients from the attack. The patients came in throughout the afternoon, a spokesman said. St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center is about seven miles from Boston center.

— The American Red Cross sent 100 additional blood products to Boston area hospitals to help with treatment of victims of Monday’s incident, Red Cross spokeswoman Anne Marie Borrego said.

— Google’s Crisis Response team created a “Person Finder” tool to help marathon runners, their families and friends, and spectactors keep track of each other and quickly share information about people they know, Google spokeswoman Susan Cadrecha said. The web address is http://google.org/personfinder/2013-boston-explosions.

— There were no credible security threats ahead of the Boston Marathon, according to a state government official.

— All off-duty Boston police officers have been called in to help with the response to the terror attack, Massachusetts Emergency Management said. Additional security measures are being taken throughout the city, including at Boston’s Logan Airport, MEMA spokesman Peter Judge said. The airport remains open, but there are additional security procedures in place.

— More than 400 Massachusetts National Guard troops were already on duty, assigned to help local police keep the marathon route clear for runners.

— The FAA placed a Temporary Flight Restriction over an area in Boston at the request of law enforcement. The TFR was initially a three nautical mile radius from the site and extended from the surface to 3,000 feet. The FAA has reduced the radius to two miles. The FAA put a ground stop in place briefly to change the runway configuration at Logan Airport, but has lifted it.

— Boston police investigated whether a third explosion, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, was connected to Monday’s two bombings at the Boston Marathon, Police Commissioner Ed Davis said. They decided it was related to a mechanical problem. The JFK School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge — miles away from the library in the Dorchester section of Boston — was evacuated.

— Boston’s Mandarin Oriental hotel was evacuated as a precautionary measure ordered by Boston police, spokeswoman Molly Kinsella said. “With respect to the two explosions that occurred during the Boston Marathon near Copley Square, all colleagues and guests located at the hotel are accounted for and safe,” she said.

— Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick: “This is a horrific day in Boston. My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured. I have been in touch with the President, Mayor (Tom) Menino and our public safety leaders. Our focus is on making sure that the area around Copley Square is safe and secured. I am asking everyone to stay away from Copley Square and let the first responders do their jobs.”

— President Obama was briefed by Homeland Security adviser Lisa Monaco and other members of his senior White House staff in the Oval Office. The president called Mayor Menino and Gov. Patrick to express his concern for those who were injured and to make clear that his administration is ready to provide needed support as they respond to the incident.

— Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano “has been notified of the incident in Boston,” an administration official said. “At her direction, DHS is in contact with state and local authorities and will provide whatever assistance is necessary in the investigation and response.”

— The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency activated a Red Cross website to help people who might have been near the explosions but are unable to make a phone call check in with friends and family.

— A ground stop has been imposed on flights from New York’s LaGuardia airport into Boston.

— Metropolitan Police in Washington, D.C., are at a heightened level of security, according to D.C. police Public Affairs Specialist Saray Leon.

— The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications said in a statement: “We are closely monitoring events as they unfold in Boston and the City of Chicago’s public safety departments are actively communicating with our law enforcement partners both locally and throughout the country. At this time, we are not aware of any additional threats.”

— Miami-Dade Police Deputy Director Juan Perez: “We are aware of the incident in Boston, Massachusetts, and are working vigilantly with our regional partners in law enforcement at the local, state and federal level. We have increased our security measures in those areas and sites deemed as critical infrastructures and will continue to monitor the situation.”

— The New York Police Department is “stepping up security at hotels and other prominent locations in the city through deployment of critical response vehicles until more about the explosion in Boston is learned,” the NYPD Facebook page said.

— Los Angeles police are increasing security measures in and around Dodger Stadium for Monday night’s game against the San Diego Padres, an LAPD spokesman said. “We are reminding the public that if they see something, say something.” Lt. Andy Neiman said. “These precautions are strictly to reassure the public that they are safe and that their police department is aware of what is going on.”

— Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) officials: “While there is no information to suggest that there is any nexus to the Los Angeles area, in an abundance of caution, Airport Police has increased its presence at LAX, LA/Ontario International, and Van Nuys airports by deploying bomb-detection canines, additional patrol officers and security personnel.”

— Los Angeles Metro security was placed on “a heightened state of alert while normal Metro bus and rail service continues,” a spokesman said. Metro passengers are likely to see or encounter extra patrols by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, which provides security for the Metro system. This may include bomb-sniffing dogs at Los Angeles Union Station and other Metro facilities.

— Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: “We are working closely with our law enforcement partners to monitor the situation and stand ready to aid Boston in any way possible. The LAPD and other public safety agencies will remain vigilant at all public and sporting events in Los Angeles.”

— While all of state, local and federal agencies are on alert in the Southeast, there is no mobilization of any kind in Atlanta or elsewhere at this time, a federal law enforcement source said.

— The chief executive of Sunday’s upcoming London Marathon, Nick Bitel, issued a statement: “We are deeply saddened and shocked by the news from Boston. Our immediate thoughts are with the people there and their families. It is a very sad day for athletics and for our friends and colleagues in marathon running. Our security plan is developed jointly with the Metropolitan Police and we were in contact with them as soon as we heard the news.”

— London Met Police Chief Superintendent Julia Pendry said: “A security plan is in place for the London Marathon. We will be reviewing our security arrangements in partnership with London Marathon.”

— The Boston Bruin’s home game against Ottawa has been canceled for Monday night, with no make up date determined, the Nation Hockey League said.

— Candidates in next month’s primaries for the special U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts announced they were suspending campaign activity Monday as authorities continue to investigate apparent bombings at the Boston Marathon.

— New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg: “I have spoken with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, and the NYPD has stepped up security at strategic locations and critical infrastructure, including our subways. Some of the security steps we are taking may be noticeable, including deployment of Critical Response Vehicles and additional police personnel, and others will not be. We have 1,000 members of the NYPD assigned to counter-terrorism duties, and they — along with the entire NYPD and the investments we have made in counter-terrorism infrastructure — are being fully mobilized to protect our city.”

— New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo: “I have directed state agencies, including the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, State Police, the MTA and the Port Authority, to be on a heightened state of alert as we learn more about this incident. New York National Guard on Sunday sent three vehicles and 6 soldiers to support the Marathon, and they are on hand to assist with emergency response and work together with local authorities following this incident.”

— The U.S. House of Representatives stopped debate at 5:09 p.m. to observe a moment of silence on the House floor.

— Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee: “We have been in touch with Boston and federal authorities who are attempting to safeguard the surrounding area and find the cause of this tragedy. If this is in fact a malicious attack, those responsible will be held accountable.”

— Major League Baseball Senior Vice President Pat Courtney: “The safety of everyone that comes to our ballparks is always our top priority and we will continue to do everything to ensure a safe environment for our fans.”

— Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper: “I was shocked to learn of the explosions that occurred today during the running of the Boston Marathon. It is truly a sad day when an event as inspiring as the Boston Marathon is clouded by such senseless violence … We stand with our American neighbors in this difficult time.”